Comp plan planning underway

At least one task makes this year's “to-do” list for the Lansing public works department different that the last.

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By Tim Linn

The Leavenworth Times - Leavenworth, KS

By Tim Linn

Posted Jul. 19, 2013 at 7:00 AM

By Tim Linn
Posted Jul. 19, 2013 at 7:00 AM

Lansing

At least one task makes this year's “to-do” list for the Lansing public works department different that the last.

That's because this year the city begins work on review and rewrite of its central planning document, the comprehensive plan, a project that Lansing City Council members have been talking about as a priority for about two years.

At its regular meeting June 20, the council approved a $141,000 service contract with the Kansas City, Mo., based firm consulting firm Confluence to steer the review of the plan. That company is now performing analysis of data related to the city in preparation for the plan.

But John Young, director of public works for the city of Lansing, said the process will require the help of city staff, as well. In an update to the council Thursday, he mentioned the project as one of his department's major tasks this year.

“We're organizing meetings and working with the contractor on that,” he said. “That's going to take a considerable amount of staff time.”

But Councilman Tony McNeill asked about when the bulk of the rewrite, which is set to include a host of committees made up at least partly of Lansing residents and led by a steering committee, will begin. Young said not in the immediate future, but soon.

“I can tell you that there will be two general public meetings,” scheduled now for Oct. 1 and 15, he said. “Part of the reason for staving that off is we have to have a venue large enough to do that.”

Once that announcement is made, Young said the city will begin pushing out more using its social media platforms and through the regular newsletter.

“You will see a lot of information coming out about the plan in the future,” he said.